Doctor of Apologetics (D.Apol.)

The Doctor of Apologetics Degree Program encompasses 48 credit hours of academic work beyond the Master Degree level. It is a specialized Professional Degree used for the defense of the Christian faith.

The Doctor of Apologetics Degree is for those students who want an advanced Professional Degree with an in-depth Bible Theological and Philosophical discipline of study. The degree will help provide a strong advantage for ministry opportunities as one pursues their God-given call as a teacher, writer, theologian or many other types of leadership roles.

Doctor of Apologetics (D.Apol.) is a three year professional degree that purposes to equip those actively involved in ministry with a higher level of competency. The Doctor of Apologetics degree, which usually is a terminal program, prepares pastors and teachers for apologetic and evangelistic Christian ministry and outreach.

Purpose: Doctor of Apologetics Degree
The Doctor of Apologetics Degree is designed to equip learners in preparation for a specific career path or professional goal with specialized knowledge and increased skills of presenting a robust defense of the truth claims of Christian faith. Learners will be able to expose the philosophical problems with other worldviews and religions, present positive cases for Christianity using a variety of Apologetic methods, and instruct fellow believers in these areas in order to strengthen their faith and witness.

Apologetics may be simply defined as the defense of the Christian faith. The simplicity of this definition, however, masks the complexity of the problem of defining apologetics. It turns out that a diversity of approaches has been taken to defining the meaning, scope, and purpose of apologetics.

From Apologia to Apologetics

The word “apologetics” derives from the Greek word apologia, which was originally used of a speech of defense or an answer given in reply. In ancient Athens it referred to a defense made in the courtroom as part of the normal judicial procedure. After the accusation, the defendant was allowed to refute the charges with a defense or reply (apologia). The accused would attempt to “speak away” (apo—away, logia—speech) the accusation.1 The classic example of such an apologia was Socrates’ defense against the charge of preaching strange gods, a defense retold by his most famous pupil, Plato, in a dialogue called The Apology (in Greek, hē apologia).